Civil and Municipal - Jan 2024

people drive thru. It provides a large economic development tool for our businesses and our parks system. Our goal is after driving through, visitors will eat at a restaurant downtown or visit a local business, and then make it a yearly tradition.” The latest amenities at TPA Park are new pickleball and tennis courts and the recently completed $10 million Sapphire Bay Aquatic Park that includes three slides, a lazy river, and other water features. Dorner Park in the city’s southeast has six new pickleball courts, a new dog park, daffodil fields, and is home to the Curt Day Horseshoe Courts named for Curt Day, one of the best horseshoe pitchers ever to play the game, having won the Indiana State Championship 18 times.“Baseball and Little League are also very important in Frankfort and Clinton County,” adds Mayor Sheets. “We have baseball diamonds at TPA Park and at three other parks that are used by different groups.” HOUSING ON THE AGENDA As is the case with many growing communities across the country, the need for new housing is constant. Black reports that ten new apartments recently came online downtown in a refurbished hotel that was originally built in the late 1800s. “We had a local investor who saw the need for apartments,” she says. “He put a lot of time, money, and energy into the Main Hotel on North Main St., and we’re really excited to showcase it and let people know that those apartments are now there.” “It’s always something we’re working on,” says Sheets, “trying to bring new people in. It’s a big concern in Frankfort.” The mayor reports that new homes will soon be going up on the southeast side of the city. “We’re hoping for 125 or 130 homes over these next few years in the $300-400,000 range. And we’re also looking at different types of housing–single-family, duplexes, and apartments.” In fact, Black reports that the city is working with a contractor to conduct a feasibility study to determine exactly what the next generation of home-owners wants. “Do they want single-family? Do they want multi-use? Do they want more apartments downtown? We’re trying to forecast the future and what Frankfort will need,” she states. Black also 138 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 01